New York Mayor Spends $7.5 Million on Unsuccessful Nonpartisan Election Issue

AP ^ | 11/28/03

[Jean S]

NEW YORK (AP) - Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent $7.5 million of his own money in an unsuccessful attempt to establish nonpartisan elections in the city, according to documents released Friday.

Bloomberg spent about $53 per vote, according to disclosure forms released by his office. The measure received 140,317 supporting votes in last month's election, but lost by a margin of about 70 percent to 30 percent.

Most of the $7.48 million spent on the initiative came in the final days of the election, when he sent direct mail brochures to potential voters.

The initiative would have eliminated the Democratic and Republican party primaries. Instead, a September election including all candidates would be followed by a November general election runoff between the top two vote-getters.

Democrats, who hold a 5-1 registration edge in the city, said the measure was designed to aid candidates such as the mayor. Bloomberg switched from Democrat to Republican when he ran for mayor in 2001.

Bloomberg was not at City Hall on Friday and was not available for comment.

AP-ES-11-28-03 2030EST

[rmlew]

SOB RINO prevented 2 Republican pickups with the stupid proposition.

[goldstategop]

He wanted a non partisan election so he could run as a liberal instead of as a Republican. And no he isn't even a RINO.

[BikerNYC]

It wasn't a stupid proposition. Many large cities are governed through nonpartisan elections. It would have helped weaken the democratic machine.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

It would have helped weaken the democratic machine.

I agree, much as I hate to agree with Bloomie on anything.

[sauropod]

"NEW YORK (AP) - Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent $7.5 million of his own money in an unsuccessful attempt to establish nonpartisan elections in the city, according to documents released Friday.

Bloomberg spent about $53 per vote, according to disclosure forms released by his office."

Wish he would pay me that kind of $$

[hellinahandcart]

Nurse Bloomberg is closing in on $100,000,000 in out-of-pocket expenses relating to his political career.

That would really hurt, if he weren't a billionaire. :(

But I still like to see him waste his money.

[jmaroneps37]

I voted no, of course. What I didn't understand is why the rats were so against it. There isn't a big city in the country with this stupid system that DOES'NT have a RAT mayor. The run ALWAYS would be between this rat and that rat in Gotham. Good riddens. Bloomy WILL be re-elected BECAUSE he is SOOO vulnerable that the rat field will be filled with hate America scum like charles ( black panther) barron. When the "conservativ-er then thou" guys who talk sooo tough about hating Bloomy get a load of that bag of shiite barron, there will be NO choice.

[Clemenza]

SOB RINO prevented 2 Republican pickups with the stupid proposition.

Yep, now I have to put up with Vincent "No Show" Gentile as my councilman for the next four years, thanks to Blunderberg and the "Senile Citizens" over in Bensonhurst.

[Clemenza]

I used to live in Chicago, which has had "nonpartisan elections" for the past 80 years.

Guess when was the last time Chicago had a Republican mayor.